Egyptian President’s Kuwait visit a historic milestone in bilateral ties, says Kuwait ambassador

President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi’s visit to Kuwait is a continuation of the fraternal and friendly relations between him and the Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshaal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

Ghanem Saqr Al-Ghanem, the Kuwaiti Ambassador to Egypt, told Ahram Online that “Kuwait is awaiting this historic visit by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to his second country, where he will be hosted by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshaal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. We consider this visit truly historic in every sense of the word, given its impact and its embodiment of the depth of the historical and fraternal relationship at the official level and between the Kuwaiti and Egyptian peoples.”

Ambassador Al-Ghanem added that the history of Kuwaiti-Egyptian relations extends back more than a century, describing the relationship as distinguished and a model for international cooperation. It is, he said, a fraternal relationship—that of one brotherly state to another.

He explained that bilateral relations have witnessed many milestones, from before Kuwait’s independence through the era of independence, the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, and the present day. Among these are Egypt’s supportive stance during the declaration of Kuwait’s independence, its support for Kuwait’s sovereignty and membership in the Arab League, and Kuwait’s backing of Egypt during the 1967 and 1973 wars, harnessing its capabilities to support its brotherly country.

Egypt’s role during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990, when it was one of the most prominent participants in the Kuwait Liberation War, was also highlighted.

Political positions across international forums also align, with views on various international and regional issues convergent.

“Economic cooperation is excellent, and Kuwaiti investments have been a major destination in Egypt. Kuwait is the third-largest country in terms of investment volume in Egypt. Similarly, the Kuwaiti private sector has more than 1,000 Kuwaiti companies operating in the Egyptian market, a number that is steadily increasing due to the reforms and modern legislation implemented by Egypt,” emphasized Ambassador Al-Ghanim. “The investment and commercial climate in Egypt is promising, and today we see many major international companies with a presence in the Egyptian market.”

He added that Kuwait also has an investment office representing the Kuwait Investment Authority, and the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KUFPEC) operates in Egypt and is expanding.

He said Egyptian-Kuwaiti relations are certainly excellent, and this visit is expected to strengthen these ties further and open them to broader horizons.

Key milestones in the history of relations between the two countries

Egyptian-Kuwaiti relations are deeply rooted and historic, marked by numerous fraternal stances between the two nations. Among the most prominent milestones:

• Official diplomatic relations were established following Kuwait’s declaration of independence in 1961.
• Relations grew steadily, with the exchange of ambassadors and high-level political coordination.
• Kuwait supported the unity of Egypt and Syria in 1958.
• Kuwait stood by Egypt during the June 1967 aggression and the October 1973 War.
• Egypt supported Kuwait during the 1990 Iraqi invasion.
• Kuwait supported the will of the Egyptian people during the June 30, 2013 Revolution.
• Joint coordination continued internationally, with the two countries backing each other’s nominations for regional and global positions and supporting each other in international forums.

The first state visit of the Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshaal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, to Cairo in late April 2024 embodied the strength and depth of these ties.

It drew wide attention from the Egyptian public and officials, marking Sheikh Meshaal Al-Ahmad’s first visit since assuming the position of Amir. This clearly reflects the cohesion and closeness between the two brotherly nations.

Distinguished educational and cultural relations

The history of Kuwaiti-Egyptian cultural relations predates the establishment of diplomatic ties. It began with a student mission from Al-Mubarakiya School to study at Al-Azhar University in 1942. Al-Azhar later assumed supervision of the religious institute in Kuwait in 1945.

In 1959, the Kuwait House was inaugurated, later becoming the Kuwaiti Embassy in Cairo.

President Gamal Abdel Nasser inaugurated the building alongside Sheikh Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, then head of Kuwait’s Department of Education.

This development strongly pushed cultural relations, fostering generations of Kuwaiti students in a variety of disciplines and at all university levels.

Egypt continues to welcome a significant influx of Kuwaiti students, with more than 30,000 currently enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programmes, benefiting from the educational renaissance seen in Egypt’s higher education institutions in recent years.

Economic relations

Kuwait is one of Egypt’s most prominent economic partners in the Middle East, with a strong investment presence across multiple sectors.

Both the Kuwaiti government and private sector play an effective role in developing the Egyptian economy.

Kuwait is the third-largest Arab trading partner after Saudi Arabia and the UAE and the fourth-largest global trading partner investing in Egypt.

The volume of joint trade between the two countries stands at approximately $3 billion annually.

The Kuwaiti-Egyptian Joint Higher Committee, established in 1998, works to ensure maximum coordination and cooperation across all areas of bilateral relations. Numerous cooperation protocols link various institutions in both countries.

Key trade agreements have been signed to govern economic and investment ties — notably, the Agreement to Encourage and Protect Mutual Investments and the Cooperation Agreement between the Egyptian Chambers of Commerce and the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

In 2014, a Kuwaiti-Egyptian Cooperation Council was established, comprising private sector figures from both countries. Its goal is to accelerate economic and investment collaboration and enhance coordination.

To date, Egypt and Kuwait have signed 105 cooperation agreements and memoranda of understanding in the political, economic, and security fields — all contributing significantly to the development of joint interests for the benefit of both peoples.

The number of joint investment projects has reached approximately 1,400, with Kuwaiti investments in Egypt amounting to around $20 billion.

These span the financial sector, followed by construction, industry, and services, and are distributed across numerous governorates and regions.

These investments are diverse and encompass virtually all economic and financial activities.